Common Ground Essays - Sustainable Food System, Agroecology

Common Ground Essays - Sustainable Food System, Agroecology Common Ground In the video, Common Ground, several ways of alternative organic farming are discussed. Although the tape is somewhat outdated, it still is effective in showing what changes have been made in farming and the issues concerning farmers and the environment. The main objective of the video is showing the process of coming together and meeting in the middle between the farmer and environmentalist, just as it is titled, Common Ground. With our project being based on organic farming, we felt that this would be a helpful video for not only us, but the rest of the class to begin the understanding of alternative ways to farm the land without destroying it. Then, when we give our project presentation, there will be a prior understanding and knowledge on the subject

How to Make Glow in the Dark Mountain Dew

How to Make Glow in the Dark Mountain Dew Mountain Dew has a vibrant yellow-green color to it but ever thought about making it glow? Heres how you do it: Glow in the Dark Mountain Dew Materials 20-oz bottle of Mountain Dewâ„ ¢ (but any 20-oz bottle will work)Glowstick or light stickScissors or wire cuttersDishwashing liquidHydrogen peroxideBaking soda Make It Glow Pour out or drink all but a small volume of the soft drink (~1/4 inch). If your bottle is empty, add a little water.Add a squirt of dishwashing liquid.Use scissors or wire cutters to cut the glowstick.Empty the contents of the glow stick into the bottle. If the liquid wont flow you can snip the glowstick into pieces and just add the pieces to the bottle.Add 1 to 3 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide.Add a pinch of baking soda and immediately seal the bottle.Turn out the lights (if you havent already) and vigorously shake the bottle.Dont drink the contents of the bottle. Keep it out of reach of children or anyone else who might be tempted to drink the liquid. Modern glowsticks are nontoxic, but that doesnt make them good for you to eat. Similarly, dishwashing liquid is not edible. Tips Theres nothing special about Mountain Dew. In fact, you dont even need soda. The glowing red bottle was made using a bit of water, a squirt of Dawn, a broken red glowstick, a couple of capfuls of hydrogen peroxide, and a pinch of baking soda.You dont absolutely need the peroxide or baking soda either. The project works if you add a little detergent and the contents of a broken glowstick to any near-empty 20-oz bottle.However, if you add the peroxide and baking soda, you get an immediate bright glow. Enjoy the glow while you can because the chemiluminescence reaction proceeds rapidly. If you use peroxide you will notice the light starting to fade within about half a minute.Avoid contact with the contents of the glow stick. Clean off any residue from your scissors or another cutting tool. If you get any of the product on your skin, rinse it off immediately with warm soapy water.

Alcoholism is a Disease Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Alcoholism is a Disease - Research Proposal Example This paper will attempt to provide a comprehensive alternative account of the hesitance of the alcoholism therapeutic circles to abandon the disease framework through applying Kuhn’s (1996) approach of scientific development in an historical investigation of the disease framework. To substantiate this standpoint, evidence of the surfacing of the disease framework as a model, assumptions about the causes of alcoholism, the elaborate definition of alcoholism by Jellinek in his book entitled ‘The Disease Concept of Alcoholism, and lastly the surfacing of inconsistency followed by difficulty in the alcoholism study and treatment community are included. The disease framework of alcoholism can be traced back more than two centuries ago, and is regarded by many to be the prevailing framework governing scientific investigation and therapeutic models for the greater part of the 20th century. Nevertheless, in the sixties, the disease framework came under assault because of the surfacing of inconsistent scientific and therapeutic findings. Aside from the United States, the disease framework is regarded by countless to have been questioned, and has traditionally been left out in support of alternative frameworks, such as social-learning assumption. However, in the United States, the disease framework and its main treatment objective of self-discipline persist to tremendously prevail over the treatment of alcoholism. Between other accounts, the financial and political interests of the treatment of alcoholism society in the U.S. have been presented to elaborate the reason why U.S. persists to be left out by other nations in moving further t he disease framework. Nevertheless, an alternative justification for the unwillingness of the alcoholism treatment society to give up the disease framework is exposed by applying Kuhn’s approach of scientific development in an historical investigation of the

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Essay Example Studies allover the globe cites PTSD as a common mental disorder among veterans of war. Moreover, these studies indicate that this disorder has a lifetime prevalence rate of 7% to 12%. In addition, there have been several studies carried out in vulnerable populations. These vulnerable populations include â€Å"peacekeepers, combat veterans, Aboriginal populations and terrorist attack survivors.† In the studies of all these populations, there were higher rates of the disorder compared to the rest of the population who are not susceptible. Moreover, many of the people with a diagnosis of PTSD have a comorbid diagnosis with an additional lifetime mental condition (Sareen et al, 2007). Despite the prevalence of the disorder being high among at-risk populations, these rates vary according to the circumstances surrounding the susceptibility. For example, studies carried out among Vietnam battle veterans demonstrate higher prevalence of PTSD than is found in noncombat veterans or sim ilar nonveterans. Moreover, other studies indicate that the Posttraumatic stress disorder experienced by most of the U.S. veterans, is at least because of battle-related PTSD (Boscarino, 2006). The development of diagnosis of veterans with combat-related mental disorder dates back in the 1800. During this time, the United States military doctors diagnose soldiers with a condition they called â€Å"exhaustion†. ... Other signs include being bad-tempered or angry, flashbacks, trying not to bear in mind the incidents that occurred, nightmares and feeling emotionally frozen or isolated from others (Paolillo, 2008). Effects of Posttraumatic stress disorder in the Military In addition, PTSD-positive veterans may be more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases. Although there could be inconsistency, investigations have found that individuals who developed PTSD, especially men exposed to war, have shown to have lower plasma concurrent with higher catecholamine levels. In addition, studies have clearly shown that Vietnam veterans with current PTSD had clinically raised leukocyte and T-cell counts. In addition, it is evident that there is a relationship between the PTSD development and alterations in immune system functions (Boscarino, 2006). Because of nighttime PTSD symptoms, the patient is likely to experience suicidal ideation, alcohol and drug abuse, and can precipitate completed suicide. According to cl inical studies, the enhanced postsynaptic adrenergic receptor responsiveness to central nervous system (CNS) leads to the pathophysiology of PTSD, especially at night. This on the other hand, interrupts sleep physiology increasing sleep stage phenomena linked with emergence of trauma nightmares and increasing emergence of primitive alarm-related cognitive processing (Raskind et al, 2007). Implications of Posttraumatic stress disorder in the Military There is rising proof that exposure to sensitively shocking incidents among combat veterans’ leads to increased medical morbidity. In addition, it is evident that there is a direct connection between prolonged exposure to harsh psychological suffering and the commencement of disease. The experience with battle veterans suffering

Guillermo Financial Analysis Essay Example for Free

Guillermo Financial Analysis Essay Making a sound financial decision is a vital component of the success of a business. The business must conduct market research, description of products, services and marketing strategies, and setting principles for the business’s success. Expenses should be noted prior to writing a financial plan. The goal of a business is to operate on a predefined budget. Ensure there are no undefined or hidden cost that could cause problems later. The business plan helps the business to make day-to-day decisions on its operations. Teamâ€Å"D† will analysis Guillermo’s alternatives and make a recommendation on which alternative will enhance the businesses financial decision. Maintain Current Operational Levels One option available to Guillermo is to make no adjustments to the company’s current operations. This option supports the top concerns of acquisition from a larger firm and spending a large amount of cash on high-tech equipment investments, it does not solve the problem of a shrinking profit margin because of a rise in labor costs. Supporting the option to maintain current operations overlooks potential opportunities that are identified to allow the company to move away from its primary manufacturing role and act as a distributor for the Norwegian competitor. According to the assets, liabilities, and equity information provided by the University of Phoenix, sales growth is slowing to 1% from previous periods. These low profit margins willnot sustain Guillermo in the long-term;they will not improve if there is not a choicemade to adjust to the financial situation. Maintaining current operations does not address the shrinking profit margins. To continue to move Guillermo furniture in a positive direction, Mr. Navallez needs to apply some options already available and within the current operating structure. One option available to Guillermo is expanding the patented flame retardant process already in use within the manufacturing process, by applying a similar coating. This option requires no additional investment because Guillermo owns the equipment as part of the existing manufacturing process. The new coating adds value to the furniture, and makes it more appealing to consumers (University of Phoenix, 2009). The net present value of the project must be calculated in order todetermine ifthis is a strong option. For planning and budgeting purposes, a three-year life cycle is assumed for the coating project with an initial investment cost of $222,705 that is absorbed during the first year of the project. This produces a projected cash flow of $1,733,562, leaving Guillermo with a net income profit of $42,557. Net present value for the three-year project calculates to $197,171. Another option available and immediately implemented is to reduce inventory by quickly turning over products, thus increasing the cash flow. Planning an accurate budget supports the inventory overhead by reducing costs associated with maintaining inventory. The flex budget data shows that Guillermo furniture underestimated June operating expenses by $101,740. If these costs estimates were more closely tied to production costs, a substantial amount of cash would have been available to reinvest in other areas of the business. Closely managing this inventory will make more cash available for expansion in other areas of the company. Last year Guillermo experienced a $3,671 increase in its year-end inventory. Keeping a large amount of inventory on hand ties up cash, which otherwise can be investedin other areas of the business. Guillermo’s option to hold fast and maintain current course is setting the conditions for failure. However, to maintain its current course and improve its financial standing, Mr. Navallez can leverage small opportunities that maximize the financial condition by leveraging the existing patent and reducing inventory. High Tech Business Upgrade Guillermo’s high tech alternative is based off a process currently being used by one of the Norwegian competitors. It will allow the business to increase productivity but will also require a more skilled worker to operate the machinery. In choosing this alternative it predicts that sales will increase by 50% bringing in an increased revenue stream (University of Phoenix, 2009). In assessing this alternative looking at the net present value of future cash flows will help make this decision an easier one by noting the value it brings to the organization. Assuming that Guillermo expects to see a return on the investment within three years, this time period will be used in calculating the NPV. Using the three year time period with an interest rate of 7. 5% and a growth rate of sales at 1. 0403% the NPV can be calculated at $617,178. The firm’s predictions on projected sales has not been the most accurate when looking at historical information. Conducting a sensitivity analysis will further help to determine the value of this alternative using the net income as the adjusted variable. Assuming there will be a best, worst, and most likely outcome to future sales revenue, the projected sales number of $195,564 will act as the most likely outcome. By increasing this number by 10% and decreasing it by 10%, the best case and worst case scenarios can also be calculated respectively. These numbers will show how sensitive the NPV calculations are to the changes in net income. Under the best circumstances high tech alternative yields a net income of $215. 120 while the worst yields $176,008. These numbers translate into net present values of $617,486 under the best circumstances and $616,870 under the worse circumstances. If Guillermo decides to use the alternative funding for the expensive machinery becomes an issue. There are three main ways in which to fund the purchase of this equipment and the additional cost of employee labor. The additional costs can be self-funded if the available cash is available. This will increase the equity in the firm but this will also reduce the leverage the company currently enjoys. The company’s equity can be used to purchase the equipment. This will have the same effect as if Guillermo used personal funds since he is the sole owner of the furniture company. The equipment can be financed through secured debt financing which will increase leverage as well as provide additional tax benefits to the organization. And lastly, Guillermo can lease the equipment. Each of these alternatives provides unique tax benefits as well as pros and cons specific to each of these options. As Guillermo considers this alternative in comparison to other options the cost of maintenance, salvage costs, depreciation costs, and increased labor costs should be factored. These all impact the overall capital budgeting decision faced by Guillermo Furniture. Distribution/Broker Opportunities Guillermo’s second alternative is to become a broker for one of the Norwegian competitors. The company has been looking for channels to distribute in North America as it has chosen not to operate furniture outlets but instead to rely solely on chain distribution (University of Phoenix, 2009). Guillermo’s existing business relationships afford him the opportunity to coordinate a distributor network that generates a new form of revenue for the company. This new stream of income can help offset some of the financial challenges that have emerged as a result of a competitive furniture market and increasing costs. In addition to becoming a broker, Guillermo can also continue offering some of his high end custom products. To determine if becoming a broker is the best option, Guillermo will evaluate the NPV and WACC for the proposed project. To calculate the NPV, Guillermo must consider the investment time period and the discount rate. In this case, Guillermo will review a period of 20 years. When calculating, the need to remove the income tax from the net profit and then re-add the depreciation back in. Next, consider the value of the company’s equipment. For the purpose of this paper, it will be assumed at $100,000,000 with a straight-lined depreciation of $100,000 yearly, over a 10 year period. Once the ten years is complete, the before tax income will increase for the broker option by $100,000. The cash flow will be reduced by 42% since Guillermo will have to pay the taxes on the increase. Since the building will be completely depreciated after 17 years, the net income before taxes will be $50,000. The net present value for the broker option over the 20 year period at 10% will be $4,125,109. 02.

Admissions Essay - My Father Died of AIDS :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

Admissions Essay -Â  My Father Died of AIDS Â   Seventeen years ago, I came bounding into a world of love and laughter. I was the first child, the first grandchild, the first niece, and the primary focus of my entire extended family. Although they were not married, my parents were young and energetic and had every good intention for their new baby girl. I grew up with opportunities for intellectual and spiritual growth, secure in the knowledge that I was loved, free from fear, and confident that my world was close to perfect. And I was the center of a world that had meaning only in terms of its effect on me-- what I could see from a height of three feet and what I could comprehend with the intellect and emotions of a child. This state of innocence persisted through my early teens, but changed dramatically in the spring of my sophomore year of high school. My beloved father was dying of AIDS. Â   From the moment my parents told me, I confronted emotions and issues that many adults have never faced. Â   Death of a parent, and AIDS specifically, forced my view of the world and my sense of responsibility to take a dramatic turn. I had already accepted my father's homosexuality and had watched through the years as he experienced both prejudice and acceptance related to his sexual preference. However, in this case I did not have the benefit of time to understand my father's illness since he decided not to tell me until he had developed full-blown AIDS. My role in the relationship was suddenly reversed. Â   Where I had once been the only child of my single father, I was now the parent to the debilitated child. Â   Â   By the summer of my junior year, I had rearranged the structure of my life; as my father's illness progressed and he became increasingly incapacitated, he depended on me a great deal. Â   Each morning before school I took him to the hospital where he received blood transfusions or chemotherapy to treat the lymphoma that was destroying his body. After school, I raced home to complete my homework so that I could later go to his apartment. There I cooked meals, cleaned up, and administered his oral and intravenous medications. Working with IVs became second nature to me. I found myself familiar with the names of drugs like Cytovene, used to treat CMV, Neupogen, to raise one's white blood cell count, and literally countless others.

Casey Anthony Essay

Courtroom trials are very interesting to me and I really enjoyed clerking for judges and being able to watch everything from beginning to end. The case I have chosen is a jury trial and that jury ends up being seven women and five men. The criminal laws that were violated were many starting with Child Neglect, making false official statements and obstructing an investigation. Forging checks, fraudulent use of identification and petty theft, first degree murder, aggravated child abuse aggravated manslaughter and four counts of lying to law enforcement. Heading the prosecution was the District Attorney of Orange County Florida with several of the Assistant District Attorney’s. The defense has Jose Baez and what they were calling a ‘team’ of defense counsel, which actually ended up only being 3. Judge Belvin Perry was on the bench and all of the witnesses that were on both the states list of witnesses to call but the defense as well. The outcome of this trial rocked the nation as the verdict was read live which were Not Guilty of Aggravated Murder, Aggravated Child Abuse and Aggravated Manslaughter. The defendant was found guilty on 4 counts of the forgery of checks and was credited for time served, then released from jail. Casey Anthony made national news for several days and remained the top story. She had been charged and arrested with murdering her two year old daughter, Caylee Anthony. Casey denied ever knowing anything to the police of her whereabouts and told law enforcement that her nanny had taken Caylee by force and she had been looking for her in different avenues, to supposedly protect the child. Also stating she should have contacted police sooner than 31 days prior, but she was in fear for her daughter’s life was the story she stuck to. After being jailed and held without bond pictures of the young mother were posted all over â€Å"My Space† portraying Casey Anthony as nothing but a party girl. It wasn’t until the actual trial started and the story took a huge flip and George Anthony who is Casey’s father and grandfather of little Caylee, was being accused of sexually molesting his daughter since she was 8 years old and covering up the truth about the whereabouts of the two year old. Since Casey had been a child, she had been taught to cover up and lie about certain situations if it was going to cause embarrassment to the family. It was George who had found the lifeless body of Caylee Anthony, lying face down in their pool and the cover-up began. George Anthony did not want it to get out that the family was irresponsible and left the ladder out to get into the pool. Which the story reads, little Caylee climbed up that ladder and got in the pool herself, due to no supervision and drowned. Skeletal remains of a small child were found 3 months later within a mile of the Anthony home. The body had been discarded like a piece of trash, and her remains had been duct taped in a black garbage bag and tossed into the woods. It became media frenzy and, Orlando, Florida became the busiest it had ever been since the child had gone missing. It was in fact the remains of Caylee Anthony and to this day, the young mother sticks to her story and accuses her own father of covering the death of her child up and forced Casey to go along with it. She had been taught to obey her father and did not want to go against his strictness and allowed George Anthony to dispose of the body. The trial that began on May 24, 2011 went to the jury on July 3rd 2011. Deliberations were suspended over the 4th of July holiday and resumed July 5th. During its deliberations, the jurors did not ask to review any of the 400 exhibits, request any clarifications of the law or ask for any of the trial testimony to be read back. After deliberating for 10 hours and 40 minutes, the foreperson informed the court that the jury had reached a unanimous verdict that afternoon. More often than not when a jury returns a verdict that quickly and without asking for any type of assistance from the court, it bodes ill for the defendant. This jury, however, was about to prove the old maxim that juries are unpredictable despite what all the talking heads predicted it would conclude. The jury found her not guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse and manslaughter. She was however, convicted of four counts of lying to police officers. Judge Perry sentenced Casey to one year in jail and $1,000. 00 in fines for each of the providing false information counts. She was released from jail on July 17, 2011due to time already served. While Casey had been acquitted in her daughter’s death, Casey’s problems were not at an end. The defamation suit of Zenaida Gonzalez who Casey accused of kidnapping her daughter (one of the false statements) is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages. Gonzalez states she lost her job as a result of Casey’s allegations which led to the loss of her apartment by eviction and she and her 6 children continue to be harassed and threatened. (Kumar) It has changed how society works today by taking more â€Å"child missing stories† more serious and not to the facts of the case, but the simple fact that the 12 person jury could not convict her due to lack of evidence. The State of Florida had not proved their case and she was walking free except with a few misdemeanor charges of lying to law enforcement. How could this have happened, with all the circumstantial evidence of her guilt was obvious, the jury stood by the law? The evidence did not prove that Casey had been involved at all without finding any DNA or any other minute evidence. At almost the end of the trial, Casey asked to be evaluated by Psychologist and Psychiatrist to see if she was mentally capable to continue with the trial. She was found competent and the trial continued til the end finding her not guilty. All of America disagreed with the verdict except the defendant and the defense counsel and still held her responsible for her daughter’s death. Society even went to the extreme as to calling the jury â€Å"idiots† I believe Casey Anthony led a not so great life, but was also a spoiled brat who always got her way. So with the news that she was walking free didn’t surprise me, as I couldn’t see any physical evidence either. Sad but true, she is out living her life without her daughter and it does not seem to bother her a bit. Casey is in hiding though as of today and knows there are people out there who hate her. She has started to learn and recognize her lies and what they did to people, and has told friends she has a lot of regards. Other sources say she plans to receive psychological counseling. She is young and optimistic and realizes she can’t change the past but she can move forward.

Business versus Environment Essay

Businesses would always want to make more profit but this should be accomplished while also taking into account its social responsibilities. In the long run, there is an aggregate need for business entities to balance between profit and the adverse effects the business causes to the environment in its natural course of operations. Choosing not to consider the social and environmental costs associated with the business will result in less spending for operations but this in turn may affect the survivability of the business entity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many businessmen executives have realized that aggressive environmental programs result in profitability and competitiveness by reducing risks and avoiding additional costs from regulatory compliance programs. Environmental initiatives has its benefits for a business. It acts as morale and productivity boosters for the workers, enhanced brand image, streamline time-to-market and improved relations with regulators and the community. It is now understandable that an understanding of socio-economic, political and cultural processes and structures is necessary to understand environmental problems and in order to establish sustainable development.[1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It cannot be denied that through the course of its operations, business does affect the environment in many ways such as pollution and introduction of new chemical compounds which may prove harmful to people or the environment, genetic engineering and others. How a business affects the environment may be deliberate or accidental but there are also some businesses that improve the quality of the environment.[2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To cite, all countries are very much dependent on the oil industry and the industry is essential in any kind of economy. It produces huge amounts of profit for oil producing countries while non-oil producing countries have showed dependence on oil because of the need to run vehicles or to fuel industries. But with the production of oil also stems a need to provide funding to numerous environmental concerns that arise with it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An oil spill is just one of the risks associated with the oil industries. It is a grave threat to the marine ecosystem and also to the people living near the coastline who depend on the marine resources for their food and income. In an oil spill near the coast of Guimaras Islands in the Philippines, one of the oil tankers of Petron carrying millions of liters of oil sank to the bottom of the sea floor. The incident was the worst oil spill in the country which affected the 40,000 people living on the island who are mostly dependent on the sea. Guimaras Governor Joaquin Nava was frustrated over the absence of commitment from the government sector and Petron to solve the oil spill. Greenpeace on the other hand has much fear that the remaining 1.9 million liters of oil inside the sunken tanker will cause more damage when released into the sea. There was public demand that Petron immediately raise the sunken tanker to prevent more oil spillage or to pump out the remaining oil from its tanks. Relief operations were also needed to compensate for the people of Guimaras Islands because of the loss of livelihood. Greenpeace urged that the local government should hold the oil company liable and that it should be accountable for the long-term rehabilitation of the affected areas including the marine sanctuaries, mangrove areas, reefs and coral ecosystems.[3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The situation urged Petron to perform its social responsibility for the disaster or it would face charges from environmentalist groups or other consequences such as banning their products or paying fines if proven guilty when the case is brought to the court of law. Taking responsibility for the environmental hazards will even give the company a better image that it cares not only for profit but   also gives importance to its social responsibilities. The business should see that environmental concerns could turn into an instant marketing opportunity.[4] Instead of having bad effects, this could make the people patronize their products and instead of adding more cost, it would add more benefit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Environmental degradation, although the more devastating effect, is not the only concern   brought about by oil spills. Fishermen are the ones that are greatly affected by such disasters because the fish are being killed. Oil spills also results in the ban of catching and selling fish and shellfish from the contaminated area to maintain market confidence and to protect fishing gear. Other industries that rely on seawater in their course of operations are mainly affected by oil spills. These may include hotel and restaurants that rely on tourist trade or water treatment plants.[5]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, Transneft, an oil transporting joint stock company initiated the Baltic Pipeline System project which would would help in securing the safety of the environment through this pipeline system and also add a new transport route for Russian oil which is greatly needed. The system aims to minimize the negative impact of oil on the environment. The project is believed to be one of the most excellent projects in the history of Russia. In an ecological assessment of the construction of the Baltic Pipeline System, it was found out that the project complies with the environmental norms.[6] This action proves that safety measures can be done to ensure environment safety while also taking into account the needs of the economy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Companies do affect people the same way that people affect the companies. Almost all countries have been dependent on oil and oil exporting countries have been gaining a lot of income from this. People rely on oil to fuel vehicles, run heavy machinery and others. The escalating prices of oil have urged many countries to find other sources of energy such as biofuels. This somehow reduced the dependence of mankind on oil.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A reduced dependency on foreign oil leads to economic problems for the oil producing countries. Low oil prices are good for oil consumers because it means less spending for petroleum products but this has adverse effects on oil producers such as the countries in the Middle East which is reflected in the performance of the economy.[7]  Ã‚   On the other hand, effects of rising oil prices can be seen when the US experienced oil shortages in 1973 and 1979. During these instances, the US reacted harshly and its citizens even get into fights at gasoline stations until an effort to conserve oil was established by the president.[8]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oil companies are expected by the the people to take responsibility for any environmental hazards caused by the company. One example is Shell Oil which has initiated and participated in many environment and social campaigns. However, the company still faces a lot of accusations that it still contributing greatly in the destruction of the environment and its refineries, depots and pipelines threaten human civilization.[9]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A report states that Shell has been overstating its social and environmental performance and despite of adhering to its public commitment which is sustainable development, Shell has been putting the environment in much more trouble.[10] The report shows scenarios from different countries wherein Shell allegedly does not address social and environmental problems caused by faulty pipelines and others instead of going by its adherence to environment safety and sustainable development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Canada, Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn explains that there should be a balance between the environment and economic growth. He also said that the two are intertwined. He agreed that the solution to address the needs of the environment is balancing the its needs with the needs of the industry. He also emphasized the production of clean energy technology such as tidal energy. Other environment-friendly projects that Canada would pursue are development of clean coal, improvement of biofuel technology and technology that would reduce green house gases emissions and pollution.[11]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Logging is another industry that greatly affects the environment. It is very harmful to the environment especially illegal logging. The loss of many trees result in many adverse effects such as the loss of habitat for many special of mammals, birds and other animals. It also contributes to global warming and other natural disaster such as flash floods and land slides.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Philippines, illegal logging was a major factor in the loss of lives due to flash floods and even land slides during the rainy season particularly in the provinces of Quezon, Nueva Ecija and Aurora. Government hydrologist Richard Orendain said that it may be hard to determine whether floods may be attributed to illegal logging or just because of heavy rainfall although it is safe to assume that illegal logging has in   a way contributed to the natural disasters while Vice President Noli de Castro directly blamed illegal for floods and other past cases of flash floods and land slides.[12]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Indonesia, many people rely on the forests for their source of livelihood. According to Edward Pollard from the Galung Palung National Park, illegal logging is the major industry in the region. It is the main source of income for many citizens. However, despite economic gains from timber companies, the entire community does not receive much benefit with the diminishing resource. Illegal loggers constitute to a large decrease in forest resources and no taxes are being paid to fund development projects for the citizens. People who work as loggers usually come from poor families and logging is not a permanent and a stable source of income and with the rate of the depletion of the forest resources, people will have to find other sources of income in the future.[13]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Indonesia has been plagued by illegal logging particularly caused by poverty and corruption. The exploitation of the natural resources was a vital factor in the economic development of the region but the government does not reap all the gains because of illegal loggers that contribute greatly to the depletion of natural resources but do not pay the necessary taxes which could have been used to fund various environmental problems.[14]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Loggers should be responsible enough to aid environment because this is where they get their income. The rapid loss of forest resources which contributes greatly to global warming and loss of biodiversity would also affect the loggers. Instead of clear logging in which all the trees are being cut down in an area, loggers can resort to selective logging   which is much less harmful and would give the forest time to recuperate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end, there is a strong need for businesses to balance between their income and social and environmental responsibilities. It may not seem beneficial and actually results in more spending for the company. However, taking to account the social and environmental responsibilities of the business would prove beneficial in the long course of business operations. Just like in the logging business, taking aggregate measures to avoid total destruction of forest resources will ascertain that the business will not run out of available resources. Likewise, oil production, which is associated with many adverse effects to the environment, may still choose to have an environment-friendly image which could boost its marketing drive. These additional costs should not be considered as expenses but rather as investments. Bibliography Al Marashi, Habiba, Business vs. Environment, March 19, 2002, Retrieved   23 March 2008 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.dqg.org/qcentral/dqg_events/seminars/mar02/business.asp Petron oil spill affected 40,000 people says Governor, InfoShop News, 2006 Retrieved 23 March 2008,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   from http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=2006082101433380 Economic Impacts, The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited, 2007, Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   March 23, 2006, from http://www.itopf.com/marine%2Dspills/effects/economic%2Dimpacts/ Baltic Pipeline System, Transneft, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.transneft.ru/Ecolog/Default.asp?LANG=EN&ID=219 Koepp, Stephen, Oil Prices, April 1986, Time Magazine,   Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961087-1,00.html Refinery Reform/Global Community Monitor/Friends of the Earth, Behind the shine – the real impacts of Shell’s work around the world, June 23, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.refineryreform.org/PR_062304.html Behind the shine: The other Shell Report 2003, 2003, p.2, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.refineryreform.org/downloads/shellreport_behindtheshine.pdf Barlow, John, Tories want balance in environment and economy, June 30, 2007. Vol. 32 No. 44,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.westernwheel.com/070606/news-tories%20want   Ã‚  Ã‚   %20balance.htm Terra Daily, Illegal logging a major factor in flood devastation of Philippines, December 1, 2004,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.terradaily.com/2004/041201072557.jj82upor.html The Timber Mafia, Consequences of Illegal Logging: Environmental Implications,2002, Retrieved   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   24 March 2008, from http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2002/timber_mafia/resources/ [1]  Ã‚   Al Marashi, Habiba, Business vs. Environment, March 19, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.dqg.org/qcentral/dqg_events/seminars/mar02/business.asp [2]  Ã‚   Al Marashi [3]  Ã‚  Ã‚   Petron oil spill affected 40,000 people says Governor, InfoShop News, 2006, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=2006082101433380 [4]  Ã‚   Al Marashi [5]  Ã‚   Economic Impacts, The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited, 2007, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.itopf.com/marine%2Dspills/effects/economic%2Dimpacts/ [6]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Baltic Pipeline System, Transneft, 2002, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.transneft.ru/Ecolog/Default.asp?LANG=EN&ID=219 [7]  Ã‚   Koepp, Stephen, Oil Prices, April 1986, Time Magazine,   Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961087-1,00.html [8]  Ã‚   Koepp [9]  Ã‚   Refinery Reform/Global Community Monitor/Friends of the Earth, Behind the shine – the real impacts of Shell’s work around the world, June 23, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.refineryreform.org/PR_062304.html [10] Behind the shine: The other Shell Report 2003, 2003, p.2, Retrieved 23 March 2008, from http://www.refineryreform.org/downloads/shellreport_behindtheshine.pdf [11] Barlow, John, Tories want balance in environment and economy, June 30, 2007. Vol. 32 No. 44, Retrieved 23 March 2008 from http://www.westernwheel.com/070606/news-tories%20want%20balance.htm [12] Terra Daily, Illegal logging a major factor in flood devastation of Philippines, December 1, 2004, Retrieved 23 March 2008 from http://www.terradaily.com/2004/041201072557.jj82upor.html [13] The Timber Mafia, Consequences of Illegal Logging: Environmental Implications,2002, Retrieved 24 March 2008, from http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2002/timber_mafia/resources/   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   resources_consequences1.htm [14] The Timber Mafia

Tactical mistake - Emphasis

Tactical mistake Tactical mistake Weve all done it: accidentally substituted a similar-sounding but actually entirely different word for the one we meant to write. And while no-one wants to be the person who does it (it could seriously undermine your credibility), for humours sake, were probably all secretly glad it happens occasionally. Take one of the features of a 9 LED Eurohike aluminium torch (offered at an unmissable price with a recent purchase at Millets). Listed between heavy duty aluminium construction and 3 x AAA batteries included we find tactical on/off switch. Now that sounds fancy, doesnt it? But really, whenever any of us make that strategic reach for the on/off switch, with the cunning plan of being able to see where we are going, arent we all tacticians in our own right? Or could this simple, moulded, soft-rubber switch actually be better described as tactile? But then, this is a dangerous game to start.

Terra and Its Relations

Terra and Its Relations Terra and Its Relations Terra and Its Relations By Mark Nichol This post lists and defines words derived from the Latin noun terra, meaning â€Å"earth† or â€Å"land.† Terra is used in several contexts in English but never on its own as a common noun. It is the name of an early Roman goddess associated with Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and maternity, and identified with the Greek goddess Gaia. It is also the Latin name for Earth and is widely used as such in science fiction; the adjective in usage associated with the proper noun is Terran. (The notion of populating another planet with Earth’s flora and fauna to facilitate colonization is called terraforming.) In addition, it refers to landmasses on planets and satellites, in combination with other classical names (such as Aphrodite Terra on Venus and Terra Cimmeria on Mars). In this context, the Latin plural terrae is employed to refer to more than one such feature. â€Å"Terra firma† originally referred to outlying areas of the Republic of Venice as opposed to the city itself, which was built on a lagoon; now, it means â€Å"solid ground† and is used figuratively as well as literally to refer to having a steady, substantial footing. Terra-cotta, meanwhile, means â€Å"cooked earth† and is the name of a type of clay used for statuary, vases, and architecture, as well as the word for products made of the clay; it also refers to the brownish orange typical of the finished product. The word is also associated with landmasses on Earth, as in the well-known phrase â€Å"terra incognita† (literally, â€Å"unknown land†), which refers to hypothetical places, and the more obscure â€Å"terra nullius† (essentially equivalent to â€Å"no man’s land†). Because these Latin phrases, at least, have been adopted into English, they need not be italicized. Other words stemming from terra include terrain, which originally described equestrian training grounds but now pertains to a piece of land in general or the physical features of such. (That word is part of the phrase â€Å"all-terrain vehicle,† usually referred to by its initials, ATV.) It can be employed figuratively just as area is- for example, when describing a skill or topic one is unfamiliar with as â€Å"new terrain.† Terrace, which referred in its Old French form to a platform built on a mound of earth, now describes a flat area, used for leisure, next to a building or to an artificially level section of a hillside where crops are grown, as well as a row of houses or a residential street, originally one located on a slope. It may also refer to any flat natural or constructed area. Terrace is also a verb describing formation of either general type of terrace. Terrestrial is an adjective describing something pertaining to Earth or to land as opposed to water, air, or space; it also refers to the dense inner planets of the solar system as distinct from the large, gaseous outer planets. Extraterrestrial, originally an adjective alluding to something originating elsewhere than on Earth, is often employed to denote a being from another planet, especially a sentient one that is part of an alien civilization. Terrene is an obscure alternative to the adjective terrestrial; a related adjective, subterranean (literally, â€Å"underground†), is much more familiar. Territory refers in general to an area of indeterminate size; more specifically, it may pertain to a geopolitical area under government jurisdiction but not classified as a province, state, or other national subdivision. The word may be used figuratively as a synonym for the nonliteral use of terrain. (The idioms â€Å"come(s) with the territory† and â€Å"go(es) with the territory† refer to something being an inevitable aspect of a situation.) The adjectival form is territorial; both the noun and the adjective may refer to animal behavior related to protection of habitat. A terrarium is a small indoor enclosure, usually made of clear glass or plastic, for observing animals and/or plants in a microcosm of their natural environment; the word is constructed on the model of aquarium. On a related note, the obscure adjective terraqueous means â€Å"consisting of both land and water.† Another rare word stemming from terra is parterre, which describes an ornamental garden or the main floor of a theater. Better-known words that may not be easily recognized as being derived from terra include terrier, originally pertaining to a type of dog originally bred to pursue animals into burrows, and tureen, a word for a deep, covered bowl used for baking and/or serving soup or other foods or for a similar laboratory container. Terrible and terror are unrelated words stemming from the Latin verb terrere, meaning â€Å"frighten,† and interrogate is from interrogare, consisting of the prefix inter- attached to the verb rogare, meaning â€Å"ask.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Yiddish Handbook: 40 Words You Should KnowHow to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and TricksForming the Comparative of One-syllable Adjectives

Maths and Statistics Assignment 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maths and Statistics Assignment 2 - Essay Example The point of intersection, where the axes meet is called the origin normally labelled as O. A particular point on a two dimensional coordinate system is defined by the x unit first, followed by y unit in the form (x, y). There are four quadrants as shown in below figure. In Quadrant I the values are (x,y), and II:(-x,y), III:(-x,-y) and IV:(x,-y). The  polar coordinate system  is a  two-dimensional  coordinate system  in which a distance from a fixed point and an angle from a fixed direction determine each point on a plane. It is useful where the relationship between two points is expressed in terms of angle and distance. The fixed point is called the  pole, and the  ray  from the pole with the fixed direction is the  polar axis. The distance from the pole is called the  radial coordinate  or  radius, and the angle (measured in anti-clockwise) is the  angular coordinate,  polar angle, or  azimuth. Below diagram (left) shows the polar coordinate system: A particular point on the polar coordinate system is defined by the distance r first, followed by the angle ÃŽ ¸ (in degrees or radians) in the form (r, ÃŽ ¸). An equivalent Cartesian  coordinate system  for the polar coordinate system  is shown to the right, where point (x, y) is represented by (. Latitude  (horizontal line also referred as parallel) is the angular distance, in degrees, minutes, and seconds of a point north or south of the Equator.  Each degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles (111 km) apart. Degrees latitude are numbered from 0 ° to 90 ° north and south. Zero degree is the equator, the imaginary line that divides our planet into the northern and southern hemispheres. 90 ° north is the North Pole and 90 ° south is the South Pole. Longitude  (vertical line also referred as meridians) is the angular distance, in degrees, minutes, and seconds, of a point east or